State of the art chemical laser devices can be operated as a closed system by employing a chemical pump to react the laser gas flow to solid or liquid compounds possessing very low vapor pressures. The closed system laser concept consists of a gas storage and supply system, the chemical laser device, and a pumping system which is composed of a supersonic to subsonic gas diffuser, and a chemical pump. Conventional supersonic to subsonic diffusers are a very large and heavy element of the total system. The diffuser is approximately one fourth to one third of the total laser segment volume, having a length of 6 to 10 times the diffuser inlet height. Chemical pumps currently in operation are designed to accept subsonic flows only. Present pump designs are large, heavy, expensive to fabricate, and are capable only of short time continuous operation without overheating. Operational capabilities for a closed system chemical laser are severely constrained by the length and volume requirements associated with conventional supersonic to subsonic diffusers and current chemical pump designs.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a minimum length and minimum volume chemical pump.
Another object of this invention is to incorporate within the chemical pump all of the functions embodied in a supersonic to subsonic diffuser.
Another object of this invention is to increase the effectiveness of thermal ballast material which may be provided within the chemical pump.
Still another object of this invention is to reduce the complexity and cost of operations required to produce a chemical pump.
Still another objective is to provide a chemical pump which can effectively be used to increase the laser power and run duration which can be packed in a restricted weight or volume situation.